For those who don't know, 90% of Nicaraguan employment involves working in the sugar cane fields. Their just aren't that many other jobs as available as that. And their is plenty of work to be done and their is always a need for workers.
The problem is there is a herbicide that they use on the crops that causes major kidney damage and ultimately, kidney failure to those who work in the fields. Medically, I don't know all the details, but what I've been told is that it is a completely fatal condition. This herbicide was outlawed in the states back in the 60's. But the government is so corrupt here, that the landowners keep paying them off to keep it legal.
So, long story short, a Nicaraguan father and/or husband is faced with a decision: Work in the fields (because it's the only readily available job here), or let his family starve? Of course, his decision is to work. And by doing so, his life will, almost certainly, will be cut far to short.
One of the things Vision Nicaragua does is work with these men to try and find them a job that does not require them to work in the fields. And, of course, they are fighting the seemingly impossible battle with the government to outlaw the herbicide.
The man we stopped to pray for in Patel, on the way out of the school neighborhood, is one of many men suffering from this condition from working in the fields. Ernesto was let go by the owners because his urine test confirmed his condition. He went to the doctor the day before and they told him he had 2 choices:
1. He could do nothing and spend the rest of his days with his family (the doctor gave him 1 month).
OR
2. He could go through dialyses which would extend his life a few more months.
The second choice seems like the obvious one to go with. However, because their family is so poor, after coming home from the surgery (again I don't know the medical stuff), he has no way of keeping the incision they make on his body clean. And it will almost surely get infected.
So, he's faced with this choice.
When we approached his home, he was laying in his hammock, with his family crowded all around him. From what Daren told us (our ministry contact), everyday is spent like this: Ernesto wakes up and his family stands around him and just… waits with him. Just trying to spend as much time as possible with him.
So we all crowded around him and prayed with him. For healing, peace, and wisdom from the Father as he soon will make his decision. As Daren translated, Ernesto said that he knows God is in His heart!
